The figure was buried in government figures released yesterday.
Britain sold Saudi Arabia just over £1 billion worth of bombs between July and September in 2015, more than a hundredfold increase on the previous three-month period, when £9 million worth of bombs were sold.
Some of these weapons have been undoubtedly used by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, a campaign that has raised war crime concerns. There have been reports of civilian targets and aid hospitals being targeted.
In December, an analysis of Britain’s exports to Saudi Arabia commissioned by Amnesty International and Saferworld found Britain was breaking national, EU, and international law and policy by supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia, because of the kingdom’s military intervention and bombing campaign. The UK government, however, insists it is not taking part in the campaign.
The figures are contained in government statistics released by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills yesterday.
Britain sold £1,066,216,510 in those three months under the ML4 export licence classification, which can include bombs, components for bombs, air-to-air missiles, components for air-to-surface rockets, and components for launching equipment for munitions.
Source: Britain Sold Saudi Arabia £1 Billion Worth Of Bombs In Just Three Months
